In the manufacture of latches and seal assemblies, particularly for containers exposed to outdoor environments and harsh weather, it is advantageous to be able to install a weather resistant latch for the securing doors and compartment covers. Paddle latch handle assembly typically include a latch pan that is used to mount a handle in a door for operating a latch mechanism within the door. The latch pan often includes a recess in which a paddle handle is carried. The paddle handle is typically affixed to an actuator member, often in the form of a cylindrical bar, that is rotatably mounted in the sides of the latch pan. The actuator member carries the paddle handle and extends from the outside of the latch pan to the inside of the latch pan. When the paddle handle is rotated, the actuator member is also rotated to operate the latching mechanisms to open the door. A major problem with latch designs of this type is that water and debris can pass into the interior of the compartment at the point where the actuator member passes through the latch pan sides since holes are provided in the latch pan for rotatably accommodating the actuator member.
To address this problem, it is advantageous to provide a weather resistant seal assembly around the latch actuator members which prevents water and debris from entering the compartment interior along the actuator members. Additionally, it is advantageous to provide such a weather resistant seal assembly that is capable of being installed in the latch pans of existing latch handle assembly without requiring counter-boring or other additional machining of the latch pan to install the seal assembly.
While weather resistant latches are generally known, they require that the latch pan, actuating member and seal be machined together and do not lend themselves to retrofitting or use with existing latch pans without additional machining. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,401,379 and 3,595,585 are directed to seal assemblies, but if used on the actuating member of a latch pan, would require that the wall of the latch pan be counter-bored in order for these seal assemblies to be installed effectively. However, the walls of latch pans are so thin that such a counter-boring procedure cannot effectively be performed.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a seal assembly that can be used to provide a weather resistant latch handle assembly, and which can be retrofitted for use in existing latch pans without additional machining of the latch pan and seal assembly.